It has been reported that the workers were so scared by the revolutionary construction technique of this building that they refused to remove the casing of the concrete pillars, they feared that the huge dome would collapse. I'm not sure if this is true, at least it's a good story. The fact is that the dome has a diameter of 65 metres, it was the largest domed building in the world at the time of construction. But the Centennial Hall was also aesthetically a novelty: plain and simple forms, no cladding and only a minimum of decorative elements, a turning away from Historicism and a move towards the principle of “form follows function”. It is still the venue for various events, so undoubtedly a successful construction. But for today's visitors, the Centennial Hall is no longer monumental and overwhelming or even frightening, and though I have a fondness for modern architecture I'm also not very enthusiastic about the look of the building. Nevertheless it is a milestone of modern architecture and was trend-setting for the use of a new material: reinforced concrete. Therefore, it deserves the place on the WH list.

The surrounding is quite nice, I liked the grounds around the artificial pond and the water features, the winding colonnades with hundreds of columns and the Four-Dome Pavilion. It is a harmonious ensemble, only the Iglica monument is a bit annoying (photo), a hundred metres high needle which impairs the view to the main entrance of the Centennial Hall.

It is worth to visit the interior, because the construction technique can not be seen from the outside. It is a ribbed structure (see the photo in the review by Els), the ribs are supported by a lower tension ring and connected by an upper compression ring. The whole structure is stabilized at three levels by stiffening rings on the circumference of the dome.

Wroclaw is a beautiful city, hardly inferior to the better-known tourist destination Krakow. However we spent only one and a half days and one night there, but seven days in Krakow, so that a comparison might be unfair. A big plus for Wroclaw is the Oder river and the river islands, the river plays a pivotal role in the historic city centre, a feature that is missing in Krakow. Also worth seeing are the beautiful Market Square, the Aula Leopoldina, and the Cyclorama 'Battle of Rac³awice'. We would have loved to stay longer.